Getting schooled

Instead of playing spoilers, the Giants are just getting smacked around by the NL West’s elite, mustering a feeble 1-5 record against Arizona and San Diego over the past week. The Giants’ miserable week just about killed the team’s chances of equaling last year’s 76 victories. Now they need to win 10 of their final 13 games, not likely considering we have nine games remaining against the Diamondbacks, Padres and Dodgers.

On the bright side, if you can call it that, the Giants (66-83) are only 3 1/2 games behind Tampa Bay for the worst record in baseball, meaning we could still fetch the No. 1 pick for next year’s draft. We’re currently tied with the Pirates and the Nationals for the 7th worst record. After picking 10th the past two years, we’re in good shape to get a top ten pick this year.

Walker/Wilson as new co-closers: Brad Hennessey lost his job as closer this weekend, but let’s give him a round of applause for stepping in and doing an admirable job after the Armando Benitez debacle.

Overall, Hennessey was 19-for-24 in save situations after blowing three out of his last five opportunities. He essentially blew Saturday’s game by giving up two runs in the 9th, but Steve Kline was actually credited with the blown save when he relieved Hennessey and allowed the tying run to score. As readers have noted, it just seems like Hennessey has run out of gas, having pitched in 61 games this year – the most number of games of his career. Hennessey has developed into a fine reliever and could be a good 7th or 8th inning guy next year.

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Anyone have a preference for closer? I’m rooting for Brian Wilson (1.04 ERA in 17 1/3 innings) and hope he continues to produce. Tyler Walker’s triumphant return from his arm injury is a happy, feel-good story (eight shutout innings so far), but we have to remember he has a 4.57 lifetime ERA and that the Giants got rid of him once before in early 2006.

The good and bad of our offense: The Giants’ offense hasn’t been completely bad this year. Barry Bonds, Bengie Molina, Randy Winn and Pedro Feliz, for the most part, have met or performed above expectations this year on offense. Molina has been a pleasant surprise, hitting .283, 19 HRs and 80 RBIs and hitting well in the clutch. Winn has bounced back from his lousy 2006 (.262 average) to hit .291 with 10 homers and 52 RBIs. Feliz is giving us a typical Feliz year although his RBI totals (66 so far) are way down this year.

Who or what do you blame the most for this year’s offensive collapse? There’s plenty of blame to go around. First, there was Dave Roberts’ first-half injury, but he’s recovered nicely to raise his average to .262 with 31 stolen bases. Then there’s Omar Vizquel, who’s hitting .240. The Rich Aurilia/Ryan Klesko first-base platoon has combined for a measly 11 home runs. But by far the worst culprit this year has been Ray Durham, who was supposed to protect Barry in the lineup but has ended up hitting .217. A repeat of his career year last year was probably too much to expect, but who knew he’d hit 60 points below his career average?

Next up, Giants vs. Arizona: We now face the D-Backs for three games as Arizona clings to a two game lead in the NL West. Correia, Sanchez and Zito are on the mound for the Giants.

This is an open discussion. Feel free to discuss anything you want – the Arizona series, the shellacking the Giants just took from the Padres (and how the Giants wasted fine outings by Zito, Cain and Lincecum), as well as our woeful offense and closer situation.

Wylie Wong

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Okay, I’ve been trying to give Bruce Bochy the benefit of the doubt all season because of the abysmal position players he was saddled with. But, after watching how he handled Tim Lincecum, alias The Franchise, yesterday, I’m asking, “Where’s Dusty now that we really need him?” Go to the seventh inning. Lincecum has pitched a gutsy game despite typically pathetic support both offensively and defensively. He has just struggled through a sixth inning in which he endured Randy Winn’s brain-cramped, three-base error, somehow ruled a triple by the homey official scorer, and his own calf-cramp, which had the whole Giants dugout on red-alert. Besides all that, Lincecum has already logged 100 pitches. The Giants are hopelessly behind, which this season means one run or more, especially against Jake Peavy. And Bochy sends Lincecum out there for the seventh inning to pitch on nothing but fumes. I mean, isn’t this the kid they’re watching so closely because he’s never come close to this many innings in any season, amateur or pro? Which leads me to the only conclusion that makes any sense. Bruce Bochy is a double-agent, cleverly slipped by the Padres into the Giants braintrust (such as it is) as a fifth-columnist to destroy the team in 2007 and beyond. What other logical explanation is there?

Oldtimer

Pitching and defense top shelf.
This isn’t that hard to figure out, Sabes.

Wylie – I’d say only Molina has met or exceeded expectations offensively. I might give you Feliz, for whom I have very few expectations anyway. Bonds was subpar all year in RBIs, average and overall fear factor. Not what we’re used to. And I continue to struggle with Winn’s numbers. If he were a center fielder and lead-off man, I’d agree with you. As a corner outfielder batting somewhere in the middle of the order, his numbers do not stand up. I commend him for having a fair number of hits this year, but I find it difficult to remember many that were game changers.

Scott

The Giants are an embarrassing bunch of losers. I had seats a few rows from the Giants on deck circle for the game vs. the Padres on Friday night and had to leave after 5 innings because I couldn’t stomach this team any longer.

After looking completely overmatched while striking out with a runner on second and one out, Kevin Frandsen laughed it up with a teammate as he retook the field in the bottom of the inning. Pathetic considering the Giants were up only 2-0 and have been mired in last place for what seems like two years now.

I doubt Matt Williams, Will Clark or even Jeff Kent would take being a loser so lightly.

But for a few professionals, this team is comfortable playing like a AAA team and being in last place. The Giants are a laughing stock.

wylie

Gary – Good points. I see what you’re saying about Bonds and Winn. When I wrote that, I wasn’t even thinking about what normal corner outfielders produce, it was based on my already lowered expectations on what these guys can do, which is just a really sad statement about the state of the team.

Long suffering Giants fan

Hooray for Gary D. Finally, someone who talks sense about Randy Winn. A nice player; a great 4th outfielder. But he’s a corner outfielder with no power who doesn’t drive in runs; is not a great leadoff hitter and plays RF with NO ARM (When was the last time he threw a runner out on the bases?).

It’s not his fault. On most teams he’d be a great supporting player; the 1st man off the bench, playing all 3 OF spots. But on this AWRUL team he’s expected to be a star, which he’s not and never will be. The problem is at $7 million a year, we can’t afford to use him as a 4th outfielder, and there’s no other GM dumb enough to take on his contract.

Wylie, I enjoy your blog, but Pedro Feliz has performed at or above expectations?????? Wow, how low are your expectations? What’s amazing about Feliz is: he cut down on his strikeouts by about 1/3! Now you’d think with all that extra contact, his offensive numbers would skyrocket. But his OBP is 1 point higher than his career avg.- .289 vs. .288. His slugging percentage is actually lower this year – .414. vs. .432 and his Batting average is two points lower – .249 vs. .251. Only on the Giants.

Now back to the latest weekend debacle. You’d never think the offense could actually get worse, but it has. Ironically the two best AB’s of the whole weekend were delivered by Eugenio Velez. Ironic in that he only had 2 AB’s the whole weekend. A triple against Chris Young and a walk against Peavy, where he was the only Giant who didn’t swing at something out of the strike zone. In addition, his speed single handedly created two runs for a team that scored a total of 5 runs in 3 games. So this talented, athletic kid, who in 2 AB’s created 40% of the teams runs this weekend never gets to play for a team going absolutely NOWHERE! You can’t make this stuff up.

Yeah, Sabean signed Winn after that torrid second half in ’05 with the expectation that he would be a run producer, then he did the same thing last year with Ray Durham (wasn’t he our cleanup hitter opening day?). Sabean is probably considering Bengie Molina for cleanup next year.

I know the Giants have nothing on the left side of the infield, but if I see Mike Lowell and David Eckstein out there next year at a combined $20M/year I might blow my brains out.

Friday night’s loss was real tough, but there’s no shame in getting shut down by Jake Peavy. Being shut out for 6 innings by Brett Tomko is however, perhaps the ultimate indignity in baseball.

TrainWreck

Durham has been an unspeakable disaster, but he’ll be in the lineup tonight, along with Klesko and Roberts. Two hits yesterday won’t get Kevin Frandsen another sniff at the starting lineup. Hey, remember that guy named Rajai Davis? He used to play for the Giants.

Let’s hope that Randy Winn has had a good enough year that he can be traded. His numbers are a pathetic joke for a corner outfielder. He has no speed and no arm, so there really isn’t any area of the game where he makes a special contribution.

It’s past time to thin the Sabochy goat herd. Get rid of Aurilia, Klesko, Feliz, Winn, Kline, and yes, Bonds. Omar is a keeper because there is no one to step in at shortstop, unless the Giants decide that Frandsen can play there and Velez can handle second.

On second thought. that would be too many young players for Big Bruce of the Extra-Large Brain Matter to handle at one time. So forget it. Keep the goats. Aurilia at second, Klesko at first re-signed to a rich, multi-year contract (3 years, $36 million), and Feliz at third (four years, $60 million). Trade Correia and Schierholtz for Pat Burrell. He’ll take up the slack in left. Then send Sanchez and Misch to the Dodgers for Luis Gonzalez. Sabean has been wanting to make a bigger deal with his old pal Ned Colletti. Well, here’s his chance. Think of the powerhouse lineup the Giants will have next year. They’ll steamroll the NL West!

Feliz has been on par (for him) offensively, but has sustained his above-average playmaking on defense. I would say he exceeded my expectations by not sucking more than usual.

mattsan

Nice Blog. As A Pads fan for years – I breathed a tremendous sigh when Boch went up to S.F. last year- Great guy – who thinks and acts like a player – NOT A MANAGER….continue to see losing ways in the bay area under his watch.

Gary D

Yes, without this blog, I would have lost my sanity on this team ages ago. Many thanks to all the dedicated contributors. Your comments often give me a big smile.
I’ll give props to Winn for one thing – he has the ugliest swing on the team, right or left-handed.
And on Feliz cutting back on his strike-outs, without checking, I’ll bet his GIDP number has gone up this year.
If Velez actaully does have a glove to play 2nd base, it’s yet another oddity in a very strange and frustrating year not to see him get a chance (on second thought, I’d even want to see get some time in the OF). Only Bochy has absolutely no curiousity to see him start in a meaningless game. Oh, I forgot, we are battling the playoff contenders. How exciting to be a Giants fan!

TrainWreck

I missed on my prediction that Roberts, Durham, and Klesko would start tonight. Ortmeier somehow slipped in there; it must have been a mistake on the part of Big Bruce of the Extra-Large Brain Matter. Funny isn’t it, how two hits off of right-handed pitchers yesterday (including the league’s best, Jake Peavey) don’t rate another start for Kevin Frandsen? It shows again what a liar and idiot Bochy really is. “I’m gonna’ cut back on RayRay’s time this month, he really hasn’t done the job for us…” Uh huh, Brucey, whatever you say. And somehow Schierholtz doesn’t rate a start against a right-hander, either. Nah, we’d rather see Roberts and Winn in there, because they’re “proven players.” Right, butthead, they’ve proven over and over that they’re nothing special and don’t deserve the sort of worshipful treatment they get from the imbecilic, sycophantic manager. Hey Bruce, you’re supposed to make the players do things your way, not the other way around. Quit kissing veteran ass and put the best lineup on the field. Put the goats out to pasture and give the kids a chance. More than every once every four or five days, that is.

Sick of It

If Bruce will play RayRay for another week or so, his average will get down below .200. Won’t that be special for the man Bad-Ass Bruce persists in slotting into the third, fourth, and fifth positions in the lineup? The Giants are soooooo exciting to watch!

Oldtimer

Ladies and gentlemen,

Mr. Randy Messenger.

TrainWreck

Hot damn, HennyPenny and the Messenger of Doom strike AGAIN! I LOVE those bases on balls, boys! Give the game away! Kick your starter in the nuts! Way to go! So now we go to Munter (oh boy!), still looking for a pitcher who can throw strikes. Our previous correspondent was right: every Giants reliever except Walker and Wilson absolutely SUCKS (though Kline did the job tonight).

UPDATE: Munter gets bombed–another Giants loss assured. Has anyone ever seen such a succession of stiffs on the mound? These guys make me want to puke.
The Giants had Brandon Webb beat but Correia couldn’t throw strikes, mounted up his pitch count, and had to come out. Then came the bastard bullpenners, and you know the rest…

Hey, aren’t you glad we got a manager who handles bullpens in such a scintillatingly brilliant way? Bruce Bochy for Manager of the Freaking Year!

Oldtimer

Makes decisions easy this offseason.

Then again, decisions always look easy until Sabean makes them.

Oldtimer

Randy Winn. Unbelievable.

Sick of It

Eighth inning. Two on. One out. Rajai Davis has just failed altogether at executing the fundamentals. He can’t get down a bunt to save his life. Now comes Randy Winn with the game on the line and a chance to prove he deserves to be a corner outfielder for the Giants. This is where you earn your money, if you’re a money player. And tonight, astonishingly, he does it.

Can Pedro Feliz drive in an all-important insurance run with two outs? Answer: Tonight he can. The Giants are getting clutch hitting after a total choke job by the bullpen? Catch me, Irene, I’m going to faint!

Can Walker and Wilson (or Wilson and Walker), the two relievers who have shown any kind of life, hold down the Snakes for six more outs? Hang on to your hats, kids, here we go…

Sick of It

Good job by Tyler Walker. Now the Giants will have at least a three run lead with Brian Wilson coming on to pitch the bottom of the ninth. I’ll take my chances on that formula.

Gary D

Winn’s ears must have been burning today from our blogging. I couldn’t believe my eyes when he smacked one into the deepest recesses of the yard. Well, there’s one meaningful hit I won’t forget. Kudos to him, but as Long Suffering said, he’s still no better than a fourth outfielder on a decent team. Nice comeback win for a change, despite the better efforts of the middle relievers to blow this one.

Oldtimer

Fair is fair.

Bochy announced/made the Walker/Wilson decision and he put Hennessey in the role to great early success, too.

Some things are going right.

2 arms aren’t enough for a good bullpen but he’s built great young, cheap bullpens before and let’s hope the catcher can do it again. He’s certainly not going anywhere so we may as well see if he can function under the post-Bonds/Benitez regime.

Time to ditch Durham, Aurilia, Klesko, Bonds, and Roberts for good. Winn is untradeable unless we want junk in return and he’s not a bad #2 hitter if the lineup can be helped with less-than-perfect but better-than-incumbent guys like (ahem):

The overpriced Adam Dunn, even if he doesn’t like the West Coast
The overpriced Torii Hunter, even if he won’t repeat his contract year heroics
The overpriced Mike Lowell, even if he’s not interested

Let’s be honest with ourselves…
How can we, as fans of the 2007 Giants, not be interested in this pitching staff being supported by

With possibly OK dudes like Ortmeier, Schierholtz, Lewis, and the KID (Angel!) getting regular time as reserve players and off day starters? Lowell, Hunter, and Winn are all leaders, Dunn is a lumberjack even if e’s a big jerk, and the winning would take care of everything.

SPEND THE CASH, SABEAN.

??????????????

Sick of It

NO THANK YOU to aging, slow-footed and over-priced veterans like Mike Lowell and Adam Dunn. It would be a repeat of the same sad-sack strategy that has sunk the Giants for the last few years: investing in and trusting old goats instead of focusing on player development and giving the few young players they do have a chance to play more than twice a week. We don’t need 175 strikeouts and wretched defense just so we can get 25 home runs and 65 RBIs from the likes of Adam Dunn. Let’s see what Nate Schierholtz can do with 500 AB’s. Money saved? Dunn would want 15 million or so, while Schierholtz will be at $390,000. In addition, who doesn’t want to see what Eugenio Velez could do over a full season? If he can make the transition back to second, great. If not, put Frandsen at second and clear a spot in the outfield for Velez.
There’s no way the Giants will spring for the kind of dollars and length of contract that Torii Hunter will demand; besides, they have some exciting young players like Velez, davis, and Schierholtz who would only be held back by such a signing.

The one thing on which there is no disagreement at all is that it’s past time to cull the goat herd. The Giants’ “brain trust” will only reaffirm their own stupidity, stubborness, and disconnection from reality if they do not get rid of Klesko, Aurilia, Roberts, and especially (!!) Durham. Trade them if possible; eat theit contracts if necessary. Let Bonds leave as well. Keep Winn as a fourth outfielder (at best).

Then fix the freaking bullpen. Just don’t trade any young pitchers for middle relief mediocrities. Decent relievers can be found on the scrap pile. Look at Alan Embree in Oakland. Unfortunately, you can be pretty sure that there’s another Aardsma and Williams for Latroy Hawkins deal in Brian Sabean. Who will it be this time? Jonathan Sanchez and Pat Misch for David Weathers? Kevin Correia and Billy Sadler for Bob Wickman? How about Noah Lowry for Salomon Torres? Yeah, I like that one. Count on at least one teeth-grinding, colossally stupid and retrograde move from Mr. B.S. He can’t help himself.

Oldtimer

Adam Dunn is 27, one of ten NLers with 100 runs, 5th in RBI, has hit 39 HR, has fewer Ks and more BBs than Ryan Howard (and a higher average/OBP), and has stolen 9 bases.

He may never be a Giant but at least demonstrate an awareness of his production.

Mike Lowell is the leading RBI man on the team wit the best record in baseball, has a career OBP 55 points higher than Pedro Feliz, and plays very strong defense.

We agree completely that nothing we think of– good or bad– will ever be part of Brian Sabean’s GM hatchet job. BUT. If the Bonds train is leaving the station, rest assured the Giants will sign a major FA this offseason.

Guaranteed they make offers.

Sick of It

I stand corrected: I hadn’t looked at Dunn’s baseball card since 2003, when he went 27/57/.215 with a mere 126 K’s (by far his lowest strikeout total for a full season). His career best BA was .266 in 2004 (.249 lifetime), when he hit 46 HRs, drove in 102, and struck out a whopping 195 times (a total he nearly matched last year with 194). Giants fans are accustomed to a left fielder who WALKS 195 times, but no one who WHIFFS at that rate.

The trouble for the Giants in the winter market is that the upcoming free agent class is exceptionally thin. Certainly there are no franchise players the likes of Bonds or Guerrero, and I’m simply not convinced that an expensive plunge into such a shallow talent pool will yield much beyond a broken neck and a bloated payroll. Perhaps there will be one stategic piece to be found among the available free agents–a fine role player or a solid left-handed reliever–but otherwise the needed improvement will likely have to be sought in the trade market. And really, I’m not sure which is the more frightening prospect for Giants fans: Brian Sabean selling short at the trade bazaar or Brian Sabean signing aged, past-their-prime free agents. It’s all a bad dream.

The Answer: Bob Feller, because he never pitched against the Giants except in the 1954 World Series.

Congratulations, Giants, on another stellar offensive performance against a Hall-of-Fame pitcher. Bravo, boys!

Oldtimer

Sicko,

I’m not married to any names but players who produce 30/100 or 20/100 with strong peripherals instantly trump anything the Giants have going for them. Those may just be the sexy stats but after paying $17 million for Barry Bonds’ record chase, nearly $15 million on what we got from Benitez and Morris this year, and THAT MUCH money for Barry Zito, I think we may as well drop the pretense.

Even an overpriced, better than average player is 10 times better than what the Giants have under contract.

Dunn vs. Micah Owings, career: 3/5, HR and 2 RBI, no Ks, 1.867 OPS.

I’m no huge Dunn apologist but try to convince anyone that having Hunter, Dunn, and Lowell with Frandsen buried in the 7 or 8 hole all year instead of Durham, Bonds, Aurilia, Feliz, and Klesko wouldn’t have helped and you’ll probably get far. I’m sure of it. I’ll go ahead and say what you know is true:

Those three players, with the years they had, plus the Giants’ starting pitching, would be in a playoff race right now in a terrible, terrible year of intolerable parity.

Price tag for the ones the Giants DID have: ~$35 million.

Price tag for the productive trio next season: $40-45 million. Throw in the switch to Wilson from Benitez and the ditch of Morris and you’re Saving big fat money already (consider it a suddenly free $15 million+).

Despite all of this conjecture, I agree completely that those three players aren’t perfect. I don’t really like Hunter’s overall hitting work, I certainly don’t think Dunn is an asset on defense or in 60% of his at-bats, and Lowell is indeed a potentially risky older player who is not going to win the MVP award even if he’s carried Manny Ramirez’s load this year and played good defense, taboot.

But it’s pretty simple math if the old farts under contract–Aurilia, Durham, Roberts, and/or Winn– can be dumped on other teams.

Since they can’t and since you and I both know they’re all on Sabean’s Christmas card list for good, anyway…

Returning to your cogent points– the ones that don’t show an unhealthy idealism that presumes an even average starting point from which to build an OFFENSE–relievers are not where the money needs to be spent.

If you’re going to trust youth, trust the arms yet to be showcased, the ones being saved the embarassment as career minor leaguers play out the string this year, and put Sanchez back in a reliever spot if you’re desparate for a lefty.

The offense is the major need.

There is significant money to spend between the likely departure of Barry Bonds and the departing money of Morris and Benitez, and one or two more minor trades of veteran players would both free time for the youth and allow an even greater chance of luring top notch offensive talent to San Francisco to support a rising elite pitching staff.

Ortmeier is in prime position to pull a Niekro/Ishikawa, Frandsen has Cody Ransom written all over him unless he can be a peripheral player, and Schierholtz/Lewwis/Velez/Davis need time to develop without being expected to be rookie phenoms. If the Giants had anything resembling the recent longterm, offensive centerpiece, young phenoms like Prince Fielder, Ryan Howard, Delmon Young, Ryan Braun, etc., we’d know about it by now.

Haven’t heard a word. Have you?

Gary D

I really wish we could expect just one of our young guys to be a rookie phenom. Seems like everyone Arizona brings up has that potential, plus pop. Other teams as well pull diamonds out of the rough. Still waiting for Schierholtz to put one over the fence already. I want him to unseat Winn next year, and right now, sitting on zero homers in 81 at bats – it doesn’t look too good for that to happen.

Oldtimer

John Shea wrote a story three years ago that included this fact, which remains true:

The last players to have 400 plate appearances during a regular season who came out of the Giants’ farm system were Marvin Benard and Bill Mueller.

Pedro Feliz wasn’t drafted by the Giants, coming in as a non-drafted free agent, but we’ll call him the streak-buster.

Great.

Sick of It

Oldtimer: I wrote a lengthy discourse in reply to your missive, and it was promptly lost in cyberspace when the Merc website failed to work during transmission. No time to repeat the details, here’s the highlight (actually, the lowlight): I agree with you about the sad state of the Giants farm system. There are definitely no uber-prospects on the way. No Howards or Fielders or Pujols on the horizon. As I noted on this blog some months ago, “the cavalry ain’t coming” from Fresno or Connecticut or San Jose or Augusta or Salem-Keizer or Arizona. I am concerned, however, that the signing of more veteran free agents to join the Sabochy goat herd will only crowd young players off of the roster completely. We won’t know whether Velez or Lewis or Schierholtz or Davis can do the job every day, because with Dunn (or another free agent) in left, Roberts in center, and Winn in right, there’s no room in the inn. Cull the goat herd first, then add a solid veteran bat or two. I had more to say in my previous post, but there’s no time to reassemble it all now. Hopefully this one will go through.

Oldtimer

We agree.

I don’t endorse signing those three players, I endorse freeing and spending the[Bonds/Aurilia/Klesko/Roberts/Feliz/Winn/ Durham/Benitez/Morris] money on legitimate major league hitting.

Sick of It

Amen, brother, Amen.

Get rid of Sabean

Come on now guys, we don’t want to be stuck with another Durham & overpay for someone. Mike Lowell will be 34 next year. Two years ago he hit .236 with 8 HR’s & 58 RBI in 500 AB’s. Last year he hit an ok .284 with 20 HR’s & 80 RBI. Do you really want to sign him after a career year & then be stuck with him for 3-4 years? You really think his agent is going to let him sign a 1 year contract after this year with his age. It will just be another Giant signing that we all go “how many years does he have left on his contract before we get rid of him?” As long as we have Sabean…we are in trouble. Eleven years on the job…this is his team.

Sabean, no thanks

If Sabean, as usual overpays for free agents, it is his fault. If he plays his young players (and I hope he does) & it turns out they can’t play, it’s his draft picks, it’s his fault. How did they sign him to a two year contract???

Long suffering Giants fan

I don’t want to dampen everyone’s enthusiasm but one thing you must remember with Hunter, Lowell and Dunn: they all play in hitter’s parks. In addition, Hunter and Lowell are coming off career years; the worst time to sign a free agent (Durham, Benitez, Wynn). Mediocre players are getting multi year contracts at $10 million a year (Eric Byrnes). These guys are going to want Vernon Wells $$$$; Hunter just turned down 3 years at $15 mill. per.

By the way, does anyone realize there’s a young man named Brian Buscher playing 3rd for the Twins, who is 26 and drafted in the 3rd round by the Giants in ’03. They left him off the 40 man roster this year, because, are you ready for this, they didn’t have any room for him. 26 years old, good enough to start for the Twins, and hit .273, but not good enough to play in our STOCKED minor league system. We need room for 35 year old career minor leaguers like Scott McClain, who by the way is starting tonight at 1st base with Ortmeier in LF. We wouldn’t want to take a look at Velez. Besides, McClain is just the right age for this team.

TrainWreck

Hey, remember Eugenio Velez? He used to play for the Giants. Just don’t look for him in anything more than an occasional pinch-running role for as long as Big Bruce of the Extra-Large Brain Matter remains in charge of the lineup card. He hates young players.

Props to Tim Kawakami for saying in print what we’ve all been saying on this blog: Bochy is a non-entity, a cipher, a man without a shadow, a passive, reactive manager who lets the game come to him (and run him over) rather than taking charge. Thanks to Tim, too, for putting into print the grotesque nature of Bochy’s addiction to/infatuation with old players like RayRay or Klesko. The dude is a freaking addict who mainlines old goats but insists “I can stop any time.”

Thanks also to my fellow Long Sufferer, for pointing out Brian Buscher’s early success with the Twins. But of course we already knew that the Twins were more astute judges of talent than Brian Sabean and his band of stooges.

Adam Dunn plays in the best home run park in baseball. I’m suspicious of his numbers and doubt he’s the man for SF. Even some of our guys would put up good power numbers at Great American Ballpark.

Fire Bochy.

Fire Bochy.

Fire Bochy.

Pretty please with a cherry on top. I’ll renew my season tickets if you…FIRE BOCHY.

Sick of It

BRILLIANT! The Giants take the lead–ever so briefly–and then the 126 Million Dollar ZZZZZZZZZZZ-Man walks the leadoff hitter in the bottom of the inning, gets rocked, and is gone before a single batter is retired in the fifth. Nice work if you can get it.

Gary D

Yes, I’ll say it too – fire Bochy. If only for allowing Pedro “I don’t have a clue what part of the zone to look for a good pitch in a 3-0 count” to swing with a guy on first and no outs in the eighth. It was criminal. Yeah, our fearless strategist will tell ya that Pedro was his best chance to tie the game with one swing of the bat. I agree there are times you let a guy go on 3-0. But not in this case. For goodness sake, try to put a bit of pressure on a pitcher – take the walk the pitcher was begging you to take, get first and second and then go from there. Maybe get a few hits (I know that’s asking a lot) and actually get back to even without thinking long ball? Especially with a hacker like Feliz, who already got his once every so often homer earlier in the series. I was thinking take sign for two strikes, and Bochy was banking on someone with no selectivity to figure it out. A clueless manager directing a clueless hitter. Any wonder why the Giants are where they’re at? Every move he makes seems to be backwards. Bochy is living proof that there really aren’t any special qualifications needed to manage a baseball team. Any twit can do it.

Long suffering Giants fan

I’ll tell you who I would consider taking a run at in free agency: Andruw Jones. Believe it or not, he’s only 30 years old. He’s coming off, by far, the worst year of his career and might be amenable to a short term deal, if only to prove it was a fluke, which I think it was. His career BA is .263 vs. .221 this year. His career OPS is .840 vs. .733 this year. In 6 of the last 8 years he’s hit 34 or more HR’s (including years of 41 and 51) and is still a great CF, and in 11 years he’s never played in less than 153 games!

Look at Hunter’s career. He’s 2 years older than Jones. In 9 seasons he’s only appeared in 150 games (including this year). His OPS this year is .919 vs. a career .795 (in a hitter’s park). His career batting avg. is only 9 points higher than Jones with much lower power numbers. This is only the 2nd time he’s had over 100 rbi’s and his HR high is 31. Coming off a career year he’s going to want at least 5 years. I wouldn’t touch him.

If you can get Jones on a short deal and it turns out this year was no fluke, at least you’re not stuck with him. Off course I might be dreaming since I think his agent is Boras.

Long suffering Giants fan

I meant to say Hunter has only appeared in 150 or more games twice in his career.